Robert Webber was the son of Elizabeth and William A. Webber. He enlisted on 20 Jan 1942 and attended the AAF Flying Training School. After graduating, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and became a B-17 bomber pilot. By early summer of 1944, he was stationed in England assigned to the 524th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group (H), at Kimbolton Field.
On 12 July 1944, 2Lt Webber was the Co-Pilot on B-17G, #42-38192, during a bombing mission over Munich, Germany. Based upon the Missing Air Crew Report, his aircraft sustained heavy flak damage at the target area and was last seen going down in a controlled flight at 1430 hours near Bourg-Bruche, France. The post-war report provides that three of the four engines were lost and the pilot attempted to fly the plane to Switzerland. However, the plane crashed at 1500 hours near the town of Feldburg, approximately 18 kilometers SE of Freiburg-Breisgau, Germany. Eight of the nine aircrew members were killed on impact. In addition to Lt Webber, those KIA were 2Lt Bruce A. Hutchins (Pilot), 2Lt James R. Haile (Navigator), Sgt Grover J. Bowen (Nose Gunner/Togglier), SSgt Robert L. Shaffer (Radio Op), SSgt George N. White (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner), Sgt Harry I. Degenhart (Waist Gunner) and Sgt Walter E. Collins (Tail gunner). Sgt James L. Stutts (Ball Turret Gunner) survived the crash and was held as a POW until April 1945.
After the war, Lieutenant Webber's body was exhumed from it's German burial location and re-interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
On 12 July 1944, 2Lt Webber was the Co-Pilot on B-17G, #42-38192, during a bombing mission over Munich, Germany. Based upon the Missing Air Crew Report, his aircraft sustained heavy flak damage at the target area and was last seen going down in a controlled flight at 1430 hours near Bourg-Bruche, France. The post-war report provides that three of the four engines were lost and the pilot attempted to fly the plane to Switzerland. However, the plane crashed at 1500 hours near the town of Feldburg, approximately 18 kilometers SE of Freiburg-Breisgau, Germany. Eight of the nine aircrew members were killed on impact. In addition to Lt Webber, those KIA were 2Lt Bruce A. Hutchins (Pilot), 2Lt James R. Haile (Navigator), Sgt Grover J. Bowen (Nose Gunner/Togglier), SSgt Robert L. Shaffer (Radio Op), SSgt George N. White (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner), Sgt Harry I. Degenhart (Waist Gunner) and Sgt Walter E. Collins (Tail gunner). Sgt James L. Stutts (Ball Turret Gunner) survived the crash and was held as a POW until April 1945.
After the war, Lieutenant Webber's body was exhumed from it's German burial location and re-interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
Robert Webber was the son of Elizabeth and William A. Webber. He enlisted on 20 Jan 1942 and attended the AAF Flying Training School. After graduating, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and became a B-17 bomber pilot. By early summer of 1944, he was stationed in England assigned to the 524th Bomb Squadron, 379th Bomb Group (H), at Kimbolton Field.
On 12 July 1944, 2Lt Webber was the Co-Pilot on B-17G, #42-38192, during a bombing mission over Munich, Germany. Based upon the Missing Air Crew Report, his aircraft sustained heavy flak damage at the target area and was last seen going down in a controlled flight at 1430 hours near Bourg-Bruche, France. The post-war report provides that three of the four engines were lost and the pilot attempted to fly the plane to Switzerland. However, the plane crashed at 1500 hours near the town of Feldburg, approximately 18 kilometers SE of Freiburg-Breisgau, Germany. Eight of the nine aircrew members were killed on impact. In addition to Lt Webber, those KIA were 2Lt Bruce A. Hutchins (Pilot), 2Lt James R. Haile (Navigator), Sgt Grover J. Bowen (Nose Gunner/Togglier), SSgt Robert L. Shaffer (Radio Op), SSgt George N. White (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner), Sgt Harry I. Degenhart (Waist Gunner) and Sgt Walter E. Collins (Tail gunner). Sgt James L. Stutts (Ball Turret Gunner) survived the crash and was held as a POW until April 1945.
After the war, Lieutenant Webber's body was exhumed from it's German burial location and re-interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
On 12 July 1944, 2Lt Webber was the Co-Pilot on B-17G, #42-38192, during a bombing mission over Munich, Germany. Based upon the Missing Air Crew Report, his aircraft sustained heavy flak damage at the target area and was last seen going down in a controlled flight at 1430 hours near Bourg-Bruche, France. The post-war report provides that three of the four engines were lost and the pilot attempted to fly the plane to Switzerland. However, the plane crashed at 1500 hours near the town of Feldburg, approximately 18 kilometers SE of Freiburg-Breisgau, Germany. Eight of the nine aircrew members were killed on impact. In addition to Lt Webber, those KIA were 2Lt Bruce A. Hutchins (Pilot), 2Lt James R. Haile (Navigator), Sgt Grover J. Bowen (Nose Gunner/Togglier), SSgt Robert L. Shaffer (Radio Op), SSgt George N. White (Engineer/Top Turret Gunner), Sgt Harry I. Degenhart (Waist Gunner) and Sgt Walter E. Collins (Tail gunner). Sgt James L. Stutts (Ball Turret Gunner) survived the crash and was held as a POW until April 1945.
After the war, Lieutenant Webber's body was exhumed from it's German burial location and re-interred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
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